Counseling Chapter 4 Irm Statistics You Want Avoid Inducing Panic And Not Want Create False

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statistics. You want to avoid inducing panic and do not want to create a false perception of crime statistics

in the community.

b. You hold the press release as promised. During the release, you briefly explain that while the

departmental training “Keeping Yourself Safe: Crime Prevention Education for Elderly Citizens” was

Prevention Education for Elderly Citizens” training is completely unrelated to Wilkerson’s assault,

but nonetheless the elderly population would gain important resources from their attendance at this

meeting.

To learn more about the differential risks of victimization, see “A Victimological Investigation of

Murders in the United States” and “Addressing Some Troubling Questions.”

Summary B

During the press release, you briefly explain that while the departmental training “Keeping

Yourself Safe: Crime Prevention Education for Elderly Citizens” was scheduled in advance of the

assault on Wilkerson, it is certainly applicable to elderly citizens in the community “now more than

ever.” By capitalizing on the media’s intense focus on Wilkerson’s attack, you anticipate an

increased enrollment and participation in your department’s training. You are optimistic that an

increase in attendance at the training will lower, even further, the victimization of the vulnerable

elderly population.

You decline to schedule a press release to discuss the media’s interest in the upcoming training. You

are aware that the role of the liaison to media is an important one, and the role of public perception

Let’s review two more concepts before you make another decision about this scene.

Question 3

Based on the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which of the following citizens is MOST

likely to be the victim of a felonious assault?

a. Alexander Garcia, a divorced, young, Hispanic male who lives in a low-income household in the urban

area of the city

b. Joseph Clark, a single, young, African American male who lives in a middle-class household in the

urban area of the city

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c. Felicia Simpson, a single, middle-aged, Hispanic woman who lives in a low-income household in the

urban area of the city

d. Carol Meade, a married, elderly, white female who lives in a middle-class household in the suburban

area of the community

Question 4

Based on the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which of the following citizens is LEAST

likely to be the victim of a felonious assault?

a. Elle McCurdy, a married, elderly, white female who lives in a middle-class neighborhood in a rural

area of the community

b. Thomas Ellison, a married, middle-aged, African American male who lives in a middle-class

neighborhood in a rural area of the community

c. Theresa Chen, a single, young, Asian American female who lives in a lower-class neighborhood in a

suburban area of the community

d. Marcus Lopez, a single, young, Hispanic male who lives in an upper-class suburban neighborhood in

the community

What Would You Do?

The media can sometimes prematurely jump to conclusions which can occasionally incite panic by

painting a false portrait of the actual crime statistics. As with this case, media coverage as opposed

to actual statistics has led the public to assume that a certain type of crime is increasing in

prevalence. You are well aware that the aggravated assault of Edna Wilkerson is a statistical

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anomaly and a rare occurrence. At the press release, you have a choice to make: you can focus on

correcting false assumptions about crime statistics or you can utilize this press release to increase

citizen attendance at your department’s upcoming training event.

What would you do?

a. You hold the press release as promised. During the release you explain to the media that the

departmental training “Keeping Yourself Safe: Crime Prevention Education for Elderly Citizens” was

Summary A

During the press release you assure the citizens that while the assault of Wilkerson was disturbing,

such attacks on victims fitting her demographic profile are extremely rare. You inform the citizens

about the true statistics related to aggravated assault as well as the most common victim profile,

which is completely oppositional to Wilkerson’s. You inform the media that your department offers

training throughout the year to help educate citizens about risk while promoting positive

relationships with police. You assure them the offering of the “Keeping Yourself Safe: Crime

Summary B

During the press release, you briefly explain that while the departmental training “Keeping

Yourself Safe: Crime Prevention Education for Elderly Citizens” was scheduled in advance of the

assault on Wilkerson, it is certainly applicable to elderly citizens in the community “now more than

Chapter 4 Review

1. Which research question best exemplifies a study examining cumulative risk?

a. What are the odds of being attacked during any given year?

b. Is robbery a growing problem in American society, or is it subsiding?

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c. How many people know what it is like to be confronted by a robber?

d. What are the chances that a person will be harmed by a violence-prone offender at least once during his

or her entire life?

2. A victimologist interested in studying whether burglaries are more or less common today than in

previous decades would most likely be __________.

a. looking at cumulative risks

b. looking at differential risks

c. conducting a trend analysis

d. examining prevalence rates

3. The best definition for the phrase differential risk is the __________.

a. odds of a crime taking place for members of one social demographic group as compared to another

b. number of new victims per 1,000 or per 100,000 persons annually

c. proportion of people per 1,000 or per 100,000 who have ever experienced some crime

d. estimates of lifetime likelihoods of being a crime victim by projecting current offending situations into

the future

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a. Correct. Yes, this is the definition for the phrase differential risk. Victimologists will examine, for

example, if a crime is more common for males or females, young or old, wealthy or poor, etc. LO1,

Bloom’s: Remember [Addressing Some Troubling Questions]

b. Incorrect. No, this is the definition for incidence rates. LO1, Bloom’s: Remember [Addressing Some

Troubling Questions]

c. Incorrect. No, this is the definition for prevalence rates. LO1, Bloom’s: Remember [Addressing Some

Troubling Questions]

d. Incorrect. No, this is the definition for cumulative risks. LO1, Bloom’s: Remember [Addressing Some

Troubling Questions]

4. Challenges to making international comparisons of victimization rates include all of the following

EXCEPT __________.

a. differences in record-keeping practices make comparisons difficult

b. there is no organization that collects victimization date cross-nationally

c. some countries do not routinely disclose reliable data about their crime rates

d. police in various countries use different definitions for crimes

5. Of the following countries, which one is most likely to report the highest murder rate?

a. The United States

b. Japan

c. Canada

d. El Salvador

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c. Incorrect. Canada’s murder rate of 2 per 100,000 inhabitants is similar to other English-speaking

countries such as New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Interestingly, the murder rate in each

of these countries is lower than that for the United States. LO3, Bloom’s: Remember [Focusing on

Murders and Near-Death Experiences]

d. Correct. The highest homicide rates can be found in Central and South America, especially El

Salvador, Honduras, and Venezuela. In 2016, El Salvador’s murder rate was 91 per 100,000 inhabitants.

LO3, Bloom’s: Remember [Focusing on Murders and Near-Death Experiences]

6. In recent years, which city reported the lowest murder rate?

a. St. Louis in the United States

b. Caracas in Venezuela

c. Moscow in Russia

d. Acapulco in Mexico

7. Which of the following statements regarding murder rates across American cities is false?

a. Historically, the highest homicide rates have been reported in the South.

b. Urban centers tend to have higher homicide rates than do rural areas.

c. Some of the safest large cities in America include Seattle, Austin, and New York.

d. Large urban areas have consistently experienced high murder rates since the 1990s.

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8. The Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) can be a useful tool in providing a picture of murder in the

United States. Strengths of the SHR include all of the following EXCEPT __________.

a. departments fill in the SHR early in the investigation and send it to the FBI so the data can be compiled

with other reports

b. information on the cause of death is included in the SHR

c. the SHR indicates that a friend or acquaintance is most likely to be the person who kills you

d. information on the circumstances surrounding the homicide are included in the SHR

9. When examining the differential risks of becoming a murder victim, which of the following

characteristics is associated with lower risks?

a. Male

b. Southerner

c. Child

d. African American

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d. Incorrect. African Americans have the highest chance of dying violently. The murder victimization rate

for blacks is 28 per 100,000 per year, while for whites it is less than 5 per 100,000. LO5, Bloom’s:

Remember [A Victimological Investigation of Murders in the United States]

10. Which of the following statements is false concerning how UCR and NCVS data reflect aggravated

assault trends in the United States during the past 45 years?

a. Changes in how aggravated assault is measured is reflected in the yearly rates.

b. UCR data and NCVS data are in agreement as to the trends in aggravated assault from the early 1970s

to today.

c. UCR and NCVS data report a general decline in aggravated assault since the early 1990s.

d. UCR and NCVS date report a slight increase in aggravated assault since 2015.

11. Regarding differential risks of being a victim of aggravated assault, which of the following has a

lower risk of victimization?

a. Those living in urban settings

b. Males

c. People who are divorced

d. The upper class

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$75,000 the rate is only 3 per 1,000. LO4, Bloom’s: Remember [A Victimological Investigation of

Murders in the United States]

12. According to data from the NCVS, which of the following statements regarding robberies is false?

a. Almost one-half of the offenders are reported to be strangers to the victim.

b. Nearly all robberies involve an assailant with a handgun.

c. Two-thirds of victims reported their victimization to the police.

d. About one-quarter of robberies are unsuccessful thefts.

13. Regarding differential risks of being a victim of robbery, who has a lower risk of victimization?

a. Those older than 65

b. Those from the lower class

c. Those who are male

d. Those who are divorced

14. Which of the statements regarding the relationship between the crimes of murder and robbery is false?

a. In most robberies the victim is murdered.

b. Due to data collection methods the NCVS will undercount the number of robbery-related murders.

c. Data from the SHR will undercount the number of robbery-related murders.

d. The nationwide annual death toll from robberies is dropping.

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a. Correct. The number of people murdered during a robbery today is about one-tenth of 1 percent or 595

people in 2015. This is a decrease in robbery-related murders since the 1980s when they made up about

two-tenths of 1 percent or 2,488 deaths. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Robberies]

b. Incorrect. During robberies of various stores or businesses, it is possible that an employee or bystander

could be murdered. Because the NCVS does not include robberies of these establishments, these numbers

for robbery-related murders will be underreported by the NCVS. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on

Robberies]

c. Incorrect. The SHR relies on homicide detectives to record the motive of the homicide. Because nearly

one-third of homicides are not solved, the detectives will not be able to record a motive, thus leading to

underreported counts of robbery-related murders for the SHR. LO4, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on

Robberies]

d. Incorrect. Not only is the number of murders dropping nationwide (from 23,040 in 1980 to 13,455 in

2015), but so are the number of robberies (from 1,179,000 in 1980 to 579,000 in 2015). LO4, Bloom’s:

Understand [Focusing on Robberies]

15. According to the NCVS, in which year did we see the highest number of murders committed during

robberies?

a. 1980

b. 1990

c. 2000

d. 2010

16. Which of the following statements is false concerning how UCR and NCVS data reflect burglary

trends in the United States during the past 45 years?

a. Both UCR and NCVS data report peak numbers of burglaries occurring in the decade or two prior to

the 1990s when other crimes seem to have peaked.

b. Burglaries are the most common type of all the serious Index crimes tracked by the FBI.

c. UCR and NCVS data portrayed different trends in burglary between 1973 and 1980.

d. Both UCR and NCVS data represent a slight increase in burglaries over the previous couple of years.

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c. Incorrect. While the UCR data indicated that burglaries were, for the most part, increasing during this

time period, NCVS data actually indicated a steady decline. By 1980, however, both were similar in their

estimates and since then have represented a fairly significant drop in burglaries. LO11, Bloom’s:

Understand [Focusing on Burglaries]

d. Correct. While NCVS data reflects a slight increase in burglaries since 2015, UCR data continue to

indicate a decrease. It will be interesting to see if the increase picked up by the NCVS will continue in the

future. LO11, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Burglaries]

17. In 2016, who had the lowest risk of being a victim of burglary?

a. African American households

b. Households with six or more persons

c. Poor households

d. Urban households

18. Which of the following is inaccurate regarding those whose homes are burglarized?

a. They experience feelings of violation due to having an intruder in their private space.

b. There are financial losses, on average, of nearly $2,500.

c. There is the loss of many valuable items since households of the rich are victimized at a rate higher

than that of the poor.

d. They experience an increased chance that their home will be burglarized again.

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items they had left behind, or the burglar may have shared information about the home to other potential

burglars. LO9, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Burglaries]

19. Which of the following statements fails to capture how UCR and NCVS data reflect motor vehicle

theft trends in the United States during the past 45 years?

a. The rate of carjackings, a form of motor vehicle theft, is about 17 per 100,000.

b. While NCVS data report about half a million vehicle thefts in 2016, the data from the UCR places that

number at just over three-quarters of a million vehicles.

c. Motor vehicle thefts cost the nation nearly $6 billion each year.

d. Both UCR and NCVS data show a slight increase in motor vehicle thefts after a consistent decrease

since the 1990s.

20. Which of the following is a positive outcome experienced by many who have experienced motor

vehicle theft?

a. Personal items left in the car add to the financial loss associated with motor vehicle theft.

b. Insurance covers the losses experienced from a motor vehicle theft, so most people are not out any

money.

c. Those affected have feelings of violation and insecurity.

d. They experience inconveniences due to having to make arrangements resulting from the loss of

transportation.

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settlements can be made (if one had insurance on the vehicle) or the vehicle is recovered by law

enforcement. LO10, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Motor Vehicle Theft]

21. Of all vehicles stolen as of 2016, what make and model is most commonly taken?

a. Jeep Cherokee

b. Dodge Pickup Trucks

c. Toyota Corolla

d. Honda Accord

22. Which of the following fails to explain why older cars are more likely to be stolen than newer cars?

a. With each major redesign of the car, it provides more car parts to be sold.

b. Newer cars are equipped with the latest antitheft devices.

c. Black markets nationwide, in part, drive the need for stolen vehicles.

d. As vehicles age, owners may be less deliberate about securing their vehicles.

23. Which of the following fails to accurately portray the theft of boats?

a. Three-fourths of boats are stolen while they are on their trailer.

b. Nearly one-half of all insurance claims for boat theft comes out of Florida.

c. Larger and more lavish cruisers are more likely to be stolen than smaller boats.

d. The recovery rate for stolen boats is less than that for stolen cars.

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a. Incorrect. Boat owners seem to make it easy for boat thieves in that 73 percent of boats are stolen while

on a trailer, often in the owner’s driveway or yard. LO10, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Motor

Vehicle Theft]

b. Incorrect. Florida is responsible for 47 percent of all insurance claims for stolen boats. Other risky

locations include California, Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi. LO10, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on

Motor Vehicle Theft]

c. Correct. Smaller boats (especially personal watercraft or “jet skis”) are taken at a much higher rate than

are larger boats. LO10, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Motor Vehicle Theft]

d. Incorrect. The recovery rate for stolen boats is far worse than for cars. Nine out of 10 owners will never

see their boat again. Sailboats are much more likely to be recovered than powered personal watercraft.

LO10, Bloom’s: Understand [Focusing on Motor Vehicle Theft]

24. Which of the following statements is least likely to pertain to the phrase lifetime likelihoods?

a. For lifetime likelihoods, estimates are viewed over a period of 60 or more years.

b. While the chance for victimization may seem small in any given year, when viewed as a lifetime

likelihood, the chances for victimization are much higher.

c. Over the span of about 60 years, nearly all Americans will be the victim of theft according to

projections based on crime rates in the late 1970s and 1980s.

d. Lifetime likelihoods for victimizations are the same across all Americans.

25. What is the percentage of black females who will be the victim of one or more rapes over their

lifespan?

a. 1 percent

b. 11 percent

c. 21 percent

d. 31 percent

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percent, but for black females the number is 11 percent. LO8, Bloom’s: Remember [Predicting the

Chances of Becoming a Victim Someday: Projecting Cumulative Risks]

b. Correct. For all females, over a lifetime beginning at age 12, the percentage who will be victimized by

one or more rapes is 8 percent. When looking at the percentage for white females specifically it is 8

percent, but for black females the number is 11 percent. LO8, Bloom’s: Remember [Predicting the

Chances of Becoming a Victim Someday: Projecting Cumulative Risks]

c. Incorrect. For all females, over a lifetime beginning at age 12, the percentage who will be victimized by

one or more rapes is 8 percent. When looking at the percentage for white females specifically it is 8

percent, but for black females the number is 11 percent. LO8, Bloom’s: Remember [Predicting the

Chances of Becoming a Victim Someday: Projecting Cumulative Risks]

d. Incorrect. For all females, over a lifetime beginning at age 12, the percentage who will be victimized by

one or more rapes is 8 percent. When looking at the percentage for white females specifically it is 8

percent, but for black females the number is 11 percent. LO8, Bloom’s: Remember [Predicting the

Chances of Becoming a Victim Someday: Projecting Cumulative Risks]